The primary ideology behind the Enlightenment was reason and the belief in rational thought as the primary source of authority. Enlightenment thinkers advocated for individual rights, liberty, and democracy, challenging traditional authority and promoting scientific inquiry. This intellectual movement influenced revolutions, such as the American and French Revolutions, emphasizing the concepts of equality, justice, and human rights. Figures like John Locke and Voltaire emphasized the importance of individual liberty and the social contract, challenging existing monarchies and advocating for governments that derived their power from the consent of the governed. This laid the groundwork for modern democratic ideals.